Legal Definitions - entry in casu consimili

Definition: Entry in casu consimili is a Latin term that means "in a like case." It refers to a writ of entry that allows a person with a reversionary interest in land to sue for the return of land that has been alienated by a life tenant or a tenant by the curtesy.

Example: Suppose that John owns a piece of land, but he has granted a life estate to Mary. Mary then sells the land to Jane. When Mary dies, John wants to regain possession of the land. He can use the entry in casu consimili writ to sue Jane for the return of the land.

This writ was created by the second Statute of Westminster in 1285. The statute required the Chancery to issue a writ for any situation that called for a writ similar to one that had previously issued consimili casu ("in a like case"). This allowed litigants to have access to a wider range of writs to resolve their disputes.